Dnipro midfielder Jaba Kankava was the hero of the day as his side beat Dynamo Kiev 2-0, but his new-found status had nothing to do with the scoreline.

Kankava’s quick-thinking during yesterday’s Ukrainian Premier League match may have saved the life of opponent Oleh Husyev, as he pulled the Kiev captain’s tongue out of his throat as he lay unconscious on the pitch.

In the 22nd minute of yesterday’s fixture, Dnipro goalkeeper Denis Boyko came to claim a high ball fired into his side’s penalty area and collided with Husyev’s head.

The Kiev skipper was knocked immediately unconscious and clattered to the ground, as Kankava spotted the danger and rushed to his opponent’s aid.

The midfielder can be seen pulling Husyev’s tongue away from his throat in a potentially life-saving move, as other players and medics rushed to the scene.